--- title: Rossland home-based business rules question: "Can I run a business from my home?" place: Rossland, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/rossland category: Starting and running a business owner: municipal owner_body: City of Rossland sources_read: 2026-11-05 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/home-based-business/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/home-based-business.json" --- # Rossland home-based business rules **Question:** Can I run a business from my home? **Short answer:** Yes. Rossland's Zoning Bylaw 2864 permits a home occupation in all zones if it follows the limits in section 4.1.5, and it must be licensed by the City. The home occupation licence fee is $75 a year. It must stay small, with no nuisance. **Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Rossland, https://rossland.ca) **Cost:** $75 a year for a home occupation licence (Schedule B, Bylaw 2801). A $100 additional fee applies for an inter-community licence. **How long:** Not stated on the City's pages. Licences run January 1 to December 31. **Where:** - Phone: City Hall, 250-362-7396 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) - Email: Planning and Development, development.services@rossland.ca - Email: Send the licence application to, city.hall@rossland.ca ## Key facts - **Allowed:** Yes. A home occupation is a permitted use in all zones, subject to s. 4.1.5. A lot with a home occupation cannot also have a short-term rental or bed and breakfast. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026, s. 4.1.2(d)](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/55924) - Official wording: "Permitted Uses in all Zones" … "Home Occupations (subject to Section 4.1.5)" … "Is not permitted on a Lot where a Childcare Facility, Home Occupation; or Bed and Breakfast use is operating." - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026, s. 4.1.6(a)(2)](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/55924) - Official wording: "Is not permitted on a Lot where a Childcare Facility, Home Occupation; or Bed and Breakfast use is operating." - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026, Definitions: Home Occupation](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/55924) - Official wording: "means a Commercial Use that is not a Short-Term Rental, carried out by an occupant of a Dwelling Unit for remuneration" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Business licence:** Yes, it must be licensed by the City. The home occupation licence fee is $75 a year. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026, s. 4.1.5(a)(1)](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/55924) - Official wording: "A Home Occupation shall be licensed by the City of Rossland." - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 2801, 2024, Schedule B](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/38323) - Official wording: "Home Occupation/Mobile Vendors/Door-to-door Sales $75" - Source: [Business Licence Application](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/46865) - Official wording: "RESIDENTIAL HOME OCCUPATION - Home based/door to door/mobile vendor" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Limits:** No more than 46 m² or 25% of the dwelling floor area, whichever is less. Only residents plus three other people may work there. Hours 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with no traffic congestion, parking problems or nuisance. Work inside the home or accessory building, no outdoor storage. No retail sales except goods made on the premises. One sign up to 0.5 m². - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026, s. 4.1.5(a)](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/55924) - Official wording: "shall not occupy more than 46 m2 of the Dwelling Unit or" … "Only the inhabitants of the Dwelling Unit and three other people may carry on the" … "shall not operate beyond the hours of 07:00 to 19:00" … "No retail sales other than the sale of goods produced on the premises are permitted." … "with no external storage of materials, containers or finished" … "exceeding 5 tonnes (5,000 kgs.) gross vehicle weight (GVW)" … "which shall not exceed 0.5 m2." … "A Home Occupation shall not operate beyond the hours of 07:00 to 19:00 and not" … "generate traffic congestion or parking problems with the Municipality or the" … "immediate neighbourhood and shall not produce a public offence or nuisance of" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Businesses not allowed:** No manufacturing, welding, light industry or other use that creates noise, vibration, smoke, dust or fume nuisance, and nothing using materials that give off flammable or explosive vapours or gases. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026, s. 4.1.5(a)(8), (9)](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/55924) - Official wording: "shall not involve manufacturing, welding, light industries or" … "A Home Occupation shall not involve materials or products that produce flammable or explosive vapours or gases" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** City of Rossland Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026 (s. 4.1.5); Business Licence Bylaw No. 2801, 2024 - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026, s. 1 (short title)](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/55924) - Official wording: "This Bylaw shall be cited as the "City of Rossland Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026."" - Source: [Business Licence Bylaw No. 2801, 2024, s. 1.1](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/38323) - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as City of Rossland "Business Licence Bylaw 2801, 2024"." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works Rossland's [Zoning Bylaw 2864](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/55924) lists a home occupation as a permitted use in all zones, subject to section 4.1.5. It must be licensed by the City under the [Business Licence Bylaw 2801](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/38323). The licence is $75 a year and runs from January 1 to December 31. A lot with a home occupation cannot also have a short-term rental or bed and breakfast. ## Steps 1. Check that your business fits the limits below. 2. Fill in the Business Licence Application, signed by you and the property owner. 3. Email it to city.hall@rossland.ca. You cannot start business until the licence is approved and issued. ## Good to know - Size: no more than 46 m² or 25% of the dwelling floor area, whichever is less. - Staff: only residents plus three other people may work there. - Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with no traffic congestion, parking problems or nuisance. - Work must be inside the home or an accessory building, with no outdoor storage. No retail sales except goods made on the premises. One sign up to 0.5 m². - Not allowed: manufacturing, welding, light industry or any use that creates noise, vibration, smoke, dust or fume nuisance, or that uses materials giving off flammable or explosive vapours or gases. - The bylaw sets no limit on customer visits. - Breaking the home occupation rules is a $500 fine under the Zoning Bylaw (Schedule B). - If you work in other Kootenay towns, a $100 additional fee applies for an inter-community licence. See the business-licence answer. ## Official forms and pages - [Business Licence Application (PDF)](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/46865) - [Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026 (PDF), section 4.1.5](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/55924) - [Business Licence Bylaw No. 2801, 2024 (PDF)](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/38323) ## Related questions - [Rossland business licences: who needs one, fees and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/business-licence.md) - [Rossland short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/short-term-rental.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Home-based business rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/home-based-business.md) - [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/home-based-business.md) - [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/home-based-business.md) - [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/home-based-business.md) - [Fruitvale](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/home-based-business.md) - [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/home-based-business.md) - [Salmo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/home-based-business.md) ## Sources - [Zoning Bylaw No. 2864, 2026 (PDF), City of Rossland](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/55924) (read 2026-11-05) - [Business Licence Bylaw No. 2801, 2024 (PDF), City of Rossland](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/38323) (read 2026-11-05) - [Business Licence Application (PDF), City of Rossland](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/46865) (read 2026-11-05) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Rossland. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/home-based-business/_